Shelf support



Sept. 6, I966 s. T. SHEARS SHELF SUPPORT Filed Nov 26, 1965 Imam? I Jinan? T. Shelli 5'5 United States Patent 3,270,995 SHELF SUPPORT Stuart T. Shears, Belmont, Mass, assignor to United-Carr Incorporated, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,732 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-224) This invention relates generally to fastening devices and more specifically to a fastening device utilizing a stud and an adapter or socket.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device having a stud, Welded or otherwise attached to a support without the necessity of forming an aperture in the support and an adapter element having means of engaging with an article to be held by using a pair of spaced slots for engaging the studs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device engaged to a support and an adapter element including a pair of slots spaced from each other, having an arm extending from each side edge of the adapter element.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of the adapter;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the adapter shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing the adapter engaged to a pair of studs on a support and engaged within the cavity of a shelf support element.

There is shown in the drawings an adapter socket element formed of a flat, thin stock, having a base portion 12 including a pair of spaced parallel side edges 14 and a pair of arc end edges 16. In close proximity to each of the side edges 16 an arm 18 is formed, extending away from the base portion 12. Each of the arms 18 has a terminal end bent toward the other to provide a knuckle 20. A first slot 22 and a second slot 24 are formed through the base portion 12, spaced from each other. Each of the slots 22, 24 include a large, substantially circular opening 26, 26a and a smaller, substantially circular opening 28, 28a respectively connected by a necked channel 30, 30a. The slots 22, 24 lie on the long longitudinal axis of the base portion 12 with their small openings 28, 28a on the same side of their respective large openings 26, 26a as shown in FIG. 2. A locking tab 32 extends from one of the arced end edges 16 and is bent back to extend partially over the larger opening 26 of the first slot 22. The locking tab 32 has a free engagement edge 34 directed along a plane parallel to the plane of the base.

The pair of studs 36, to be used with the adapter element 10, each comprise an enlarged head portion 38 and a cylindrical shank portion 40 extending, in right angle relationship, from the enlarged head portion 38. The shank portion 40 is of smaller diameter than the head portion 38 and has a free terminal end 42.

The shelf support element 44 is normally used to hold a shelf by placing one on each of a pair of spaced parallel side walls 46, of the interior of a refrigerator for example. The shelf support element 44 comprises a body portion 48, frequently formed of plastic material, extending from a base 50 having a greater Width than the body portion 48. The base 50 has a shallowed depression 52 which opens into a comparatively deep cavity 54. The cavity 54 extends through the remaining portion of the base 50 and well into the body portion 48 as shown in FIG. 3.

The studs 36 are either soldered or otherwise attached to the side wall 46 without forming an aperture through the side wall 46. The two studs 36 are placed in spaced,

3,270,995 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 ice aligned relationship and a plastic liner 56 is placed in abutting relationship to the side wall 46 and has holes formed therein through which the two studs 36 may pass.

The diameter or width of the adapter socket element 10 at its knuckles 20 is greater than the width of the cavity 54 and therefore when the arms 18 are pushed into the cavity 54 they are flexed inwardly and thereby hold themselves in engagement with the shelf support element 44. The socket adapter element 10 is usually engaged to the aligned studs 36 prior to its engagement with the shelf support element 44. Engagement of the adapter socket element 10 with the studs 36 is accomplished by passing the head portions 38, which are smaller diameter than the large openings 26, 26a, through the large openings 26, 26a. In order to pass the stud 36 through the opening 26, the locking tab 32 is flexed away from the base portion 12 by the head portion 38. The base portion 12 is then pushed to pass the shanks 40 through their respective necked channels 30 and 30a until the shanks 40 come to rest within the small openings 28, 28a of the slots 22, 24. The stud 36 engaged within the slot 22 as it is passed into the small opening 28 is passed beyond the engagement edge 34 of the locking tab 32, allowing the locking tab 32 to snap back behind the head portion 38, locking the adapter socket element 10 to the studs 36. The shelf support element 44 can then be engaged with the adapter socket element 10.

With reference to the foregoing description it is to be understood that what has been disclosed therein represents only a single embodiment of the invention and is to be construed as illustrative rather than restrictive in nature; and that the invention is best described by the following claims.

What is claimed:

1. The combination of a fastening device and a support, said fastening device comprising a pair of studs and an adapter socket element, said adapter element socket having a base portion, a first and second slot formed through said base portion, said slots being spaced from each other along a long axis of said base portion, each of said slots comprising a large opening and a small opening connected by a necked channel, a locking tab extending from an edge of said base portion, over the area defined by said large opening of said first slot, said locking tab having a free engagement edge and lying on a plane in substantially parallel relation with said base portion, each of said studs having a head portion and a shank portion extending from said head portion in integral right angle therewith, said shank having a free end, each of said studs being secured at said free end of said shank to said support without perforation of said support, said large opening of said slots having a diameter greater than said head portion of said stud and said head portion being in abutting superposed relation to said base adjacent said small opening and said free engagement end of said locking tab being in approximate relation to said head portion of the stud engaged with said first slot and said fastening device having means of engaging an article to be held.

2. The combination of a fastening device and a support as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means of engaging an article to be held comprises a pair of spaced legs extending from said base portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,05 3, l 19 9/ 1936 Sturtevant 248223 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, PrimaryExaminer. 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A FASTENING DEVICE AND A SUPPORT, SAID FASTENING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF STUDS AND AN ADAPTER SOCKET ELEMENT, SAID ADAPTER ELEMENT SOCKET HAVING A BASE PORTION, A FIRST AND SECOND SLOT FORMED THROUGH SAID BASE PORTION, SAID SLOT BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG A LONG AXIS OF SAID BASE PORTION, EACH OF SAID SLOTS COMPRISING A LARGE OPENING AND A SMALL OPENING CONNECTED BY A NECKED CHANNEL, A LOCKING TAB EXTENDING FROM AN EDGE OF SAID BASE PORTON, OVER THE AREA DEFINED BY SAID LARGE OPENING OF SAID FIRST SLOT, SAID LOCKING TAB HAVING A FREE ENGAGEMENT EDGE AND LYING ON A PLANE IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION WITH SAID BASE PORTION, EACH OF SAID STUDS HAVING A HEAD PORTION AND A SHANK PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID HEAD PORTION IN INTEGRAL RIGHT ANGLE THEREWITH, SAID SHANK HAVING A FREE END, EACH OF SAID STUDS BEING SECURED AT SAID FREE END OF SAID SHANK TO SAID SUPPORT WITHOUT PERFORATION OF SAID SUPPORT, SAID LARGE OPENING OF SAID SLOTS HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN SAID HEAD PORTION OF SAID STUD AND SAID HEAD PORTION BEING IN ABUTTING SUPERPOSED RELATION TO SAID BASE ADJACENT SAID SMALL OPENING AND SAID FREE ENGAGEMENT END OF SAID LOCKING TAB BEING IN APPROXIMATE RELATION TO SAID HEAD PORTION OF THE STUD ENGAGED WITH SAID FIRST SLOT AND SAID FASTENING DEVICE HAVING MEANS OF ENGAGING AN ARTICLE TO BE HELD. 